1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave viewing device and, more particularly, relates to an arrangement facilitating the internal viewing of a microwave oven during the preparation of a food product or the like in a microwaving process.
The preparation and development of food products through microwaving in a microwave oven, especially in connection with experimental programs, frequently necessitates that there be afforded the ability of an uninterrupted or continual viewing of the food product during the microwaving process, in order to ensure that the food products are being prepared for consumption under optimum temperature conditions and microwaving periods. Concerning the foregoing, it is important during the development and preparation of such microwave processed foods, that the swelling, shrinking, dehydration, denaturing, cooking, coagulation and the various food ingredients or constituents can be fully and unobstructedly viewed and continually studied during their microwave processing. The viewing of such foods which are in a state of being microwaved through the generally transparent or transluscent access door of a microwave oven has proven itself to be inadequate in practice for the obtaining of accurate experimental data, and in order to obtain more precise information with respect to the effects of microwaving on the foods, it is important that viewing thereof during the microwaving process be effected internally of the microwave oven in close and unobstructed proximity to the food product. One of the difficulties encountered in implementing such an internal viewing procedure during microwaving has been the leakage to the environment of microwaves through an aperture formed for any viewing instrument which is inserted into the microwave oven during the microwaving process, which can readily reach levels at which it is extremely harmful to personnel operating the viewing devices, and moreover, may damage or even destroy any viewing devices, such as photographic or video recording equipment which are connected to such internal microwave viewing devices. Although various types of devices and arrangements have been developed in the technology for monitoring the internal conditions of a microwave oven during microwave processing, none of these have been found to be fully satisfactory in implementing the continual internal viewing of a food product, which is being prepared for consumption or experimental development in the microwave oven, through the positioning of a viewing device in close proximity to the food product being processed within the microwave oven, wherein the optics of such a viewing device are connected to either a photographic or video recording arrangement located externally of the microwave oven, and which would inhibit the danger of any deleterious microwaves leaking to the environment from within the microwave oven, or would prevent damage to the viewing device or its components by the microwaves.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Hough U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,531, describes an internally viewable microwave induction heater in which an attachment is fastened to a microwave unit, the attachment consisting primarily of screen components inhibiting the passage of microwaves therethrough to the environment. However, there is no disclosure of the positioning of a viewing probe or optical arrangement internally of a microwave oven in close proximity to a food product being microwaved so as to enable closeup and continuous monitoring of the food product without encountering any leakage of the microwaves which would conceivable damage optical viewing equipment.
White U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,129, discloses an arrangement for conducting a coolant into the chamber of a microwave oven in which various water-bearing substances, such as foodstuffs in a frozen state, are conditioned for thawing. There is no disclosure of any viewing device being positioned in close proximity to the material being processed within the microwave unit which will allow for the constant photographic or video viewing of the material while concurrently inhibiting the escape to the surroundings of any microwaves which may be harmful to the optics of a viewing arrangement and to any personnel in close proximity to the microwave unit.
Dehn U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,731, describes a temperature sensing probe for microwave ovens in which the probe is introduceable into a microwave through a wall opening and insertable into foods being microwave processed therein. However, the device disclosed in this patent does not readily lend itself to modifications for the continual and closeup optical viewing in the changing conditions and physical state of the food being microwave-processed, and is provided merely for the purpose of temperature sensing to supply information over the degree of cooking or doneness of the food product.
Silvermann, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,210, describe an access construction for microwave chambers or ovens in which a passageway incorporates blocking means for preventing microwaves from leaking from the interior of the microwave chamber into the environment. However, there is no disclosure of any structure which will enable an optical viewing device to be introduced into the microwave chamber so as to extend into close proximity with a food product being microwave-processed, and which incorporates components for inhibiting the escape or leakage of microwaves from the microwave chamber tending to damage or even causing destruction of the optics of the viewing device; and/or posing physical dangers to operating personnel.
Birk U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,488, discloses an access door structure for a microwave oven in which a transparent or transluscent door surface portion is essentially constituted of glass, and incorporates a flexible metal grid or screen therein providing a screening effect inhibiting leakage therethrough of any microwave radiation. However, there is no disclosure of imparting a protective screening to a viewing device which is inserted into a microwave oven chamber through an opening formed in a wall of the microwave oven, and which possesses delicate optics extending into close proximity with the food product being microwaved, wherein the device would incorporate screening structure protecting it from damage from microwave radiation.